Japan has faced a decline in fertility since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the rate of pregnancy postponement and its contributing factors, with a particular focus on economic- and COVID-19 infection-related indicators. This study used data from 768 observations of married women aged 18 to 50 years with pregnancy intentions. The data were obtained from two rounds of a large web-based survey conducted by the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey (JACSIS) in 2020 and 2021. A generalised estimating equation (GEE) model was employed, as well as Poisson regression models for sub-sample analysis divided by year to estimate the year differential magnitude of the contributing factors’ impacts. Approximately 20% of married women with childbearing intentions postponed their childbearing. The analyses revealed that declining income and anxiety about future household finances were significantly related to delayed childbearing, while fear of COVID-19 and infection rate were not. Additionally, the adverse effects of unfavourable economic conditions were stronger in 2021. Notably, age did not influence the decision of pregnancy postponement. Older women postponed pregnancy just as much as younger women. In conclusion, this study confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly its related adverse economic conditions, contributed to Japan’s current baby bust. Considering that advanced maternal age is already common in Japan, this decreased fertility may result in the long-term negative consequence of further population decline.

Although better diet quality is inversely related to the risk of geriatric disorders, the association of adherence to dietary guidelines with oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is unclear. We aimed to investigate this association in older Japanese adults. This cross-sectional study included 7984 Japanese participants aged ≥ 65 years from the population-based Kyoto–Kameoka study. Dietary intake was estimated using a validated self-administered FFQ. The scores for adherence to the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top (range: 0 (worst) to 80 (best)) were calculated. These scores were stratified into quartiles (Qs). Poor OHRQoL was defined as a score ≤ 50 using a 12-item Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index. The OR and 95 % CI were calculated using multivariable logistic regression and the spline model. Higher adherence score was associated with a lower prevalence of poor OHRQoL (Q1–Q4:36·0 %, 32·1 %, 27·9 % and 25·1 %, respectively). An inverse association was found between the score for adherence to the food-based Japanese dietary guidelines and the OR of poor OHRQoL among all the participants (Q1: reference; Q2: OR, 0·87 (95 % CI: 0·75, 1·00); Q3: OR, 0·77 (95 % CI: 0·66, 0·90); Q4: OR, 0·72 (95 % CI: 0·62, 0·85); P for trend < 0·001). These relationships were similar to the results in the spline model. Higher adherence to the food-based Japanese dietary guidelines is inversely associated with the prevalence of poor OHRQoL in older adults. Our results may provide useful insights to improve and maintain oral health.

Excess weight loss while minimising fat-free mass (FFM) loss is important for health. Travel is a particular period at risk for weight gain and for which the effects of a short-term intensive weight loss programme have not been studied. Therefore, we studied the effect of a novel, 1-week supervised health travel programme combining high volume, low-to-moderate intensity exercise and energy intake restriction on weight, body composition and health outcomes in adults. Weight was also monitored for 12 weeks after the programme. In all, thirty-six subjects (nineteen men, seventeen women) consisting of sixteen excess-weight (BMI: 27·1 (sd 1·7) kg/m2) and twenty healthy-weight (BMI: 22·3 (sd 1·8) kg/m2) individuals participated. Subjects performed 1 h of slow-paced intermittent jogging three times per d and other leisure activities, whereas consuming only provided foods without water restriction. Body mass significantly decreased from pre- to post-intervention in excess-weight and healthy-weight individuals (−3·5 (sd 1·5) and −3·5 (sd 1·3) %, respectively; P<0·001 for both), and losses were maintained at 12 weeks post-intervention in both groups (−6·3 (sd 3·8) and −1·7 (sd 4·0) %, respectively; P<0·01 for both). Fat mass also significantly decreased in both groups (excess weight: −9·2 (sd 4·6) %: healthy weight: −13·4 (sd 9·0) %; P<0·01 for both), whereas FFM was maintained. Similar improvements were observed for blood biochemistry and pressure in both groups. This short-term weight loss intervention yielded favourable outcomes in both excess- and healthy-weight adults, particularly a 3·5 % weight loss with no significant change to FFM. In addition, participants maintained weight loss for at least 12 weeks. Of multiple programme choices, the Health Tourism weight loss programme’s results indicate that it is a viable option.

The present status of R&D for various types of solar cells is presented by overviewing research and development projects for solar cells in Japan as the PV R&D Project Leader of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). Developments of high-efficiency solar cells such as 44.4% (under concentration) and 37.9% (under 1-sun) InGaP/GaAs/InGaAs 3-junction solar cells by Sharp, 26.6% crystalline Si heterojunction back-contact (HBC) solar cells by Kaneka, 22.3% CIGS solar cells by Solar Frontier have been demonstrated under the NEDO PV R&D Project. 15.0% efficiency has also been attained with 1 cm2 perovskite solar cell by NIMS under the JST Project. This article also presents analytical results for efficiency potential of high-efficiency solar cells based on external radiative efficiency (ERE), open-circuit voltage loss and fill factor loss. Crystalline Si solar cells, GaAs, III–V compound 3-junction and 5-junction, CIGSe, and CdTe solar cells have efficiency potential of 28.5%, 29.7%, 42%, 43%, 26.5%, and 26.5% under 1-sun condition, respectively, by improvements in ERE.

Donor-acceptor mixed-stack charge-transfer (CT) compounds can be regarded as a model system for charge carrier separation in molecular-scale donor-acceptor heterojunctions. Here we investigated fundamental photocarrier generation characteristics in single crystals of a donoracceptor mixed-stack system, phenothiazine-tetracyanoquinodimethane (PTZ-TCNQ). The laser beam-induced current (LBIC) measurement on the crystals allowed the discrimination between the exciton and the photocarrier diffusion on the basis of the observed spatial decay profiles. We found that the photocarriers are directly generated by higher-lying CT band excitation and exhibit extremely long diffusion length reaching more than 10 μm. We discuss the origin of the efficient photocarrier generation in terms of the geminate electron-hole pair formation.

We have fabricated a ferroelectric resistive switching device of Pt/Bi1-δFeO3 (BFO)/SrRuO3 (SRO) in which the conductivity of BFO layer was controlled by changing the Bi-deficiency concentration. The devices showed a bipolar-type resistive switching effect, i.e., zero-crossing hysteretic current–voltage (I–V) characteristics. In addition, the I–V characteristics in both high and low resistance states are nonlinear, which can avoid a read-error problem in a passive crossbar memory array. Resistive switching characteristics measured in pulse-voltage mode revealed that the resistance values in low resistance states vary with the amplitude and duration time of the pulsed-voltage stresses, indicating possibility of multilevel switching. On the basis of the experimental results, we discuss the potential of the Pt/BFO/SRO device for application in a large-capacity nonvolatile memory.

Integration of the III–V channel MISFETs on the Si platform is a potential solution to realize performance improvement and power reduction in the sub-22 nm node and beyond. To take advantage of the high electron mobility of III-Vs, the MIS interfaces of high integrity should be developed. This paper reports how the MIS characteristics vary in response to the changes in the interface composition and structures, and discusses the physics and chemistry behind these observations. We fabricated a wide variety of the high-k/III–V interface structures by employing the state-of-the-art technologies of the epitaxial wafers by MOCVD, surface reconstruction control in the MBE environment, wet/dry surface treatments optimized by utilizing XPS/AES analyses, and deposition of quality dielectrics (Al2O3, HfO2) by ALD and EB evaporation. The MIS characteristics were evaluated in the capacitor and FET structures. The talk will include the following topics: the effects of the cation composition (Al, Ga, In) of the III-V bulk on the MIS characteristics [1], the importance of the anion control (N, S) at the interface to improve the MIS characteristics, and the surface orientation ((100) vs. (111)) as a new parameter in the III-V MIS device design [1]. This work was carried out in the Nanoelectronics Project supported by NEDO/METI. [1] T. Yasuda et al., as discussed at 39th IEEE SISC (San Diego, Dec. 2008).

Wafer level chip size packages (WL-CSP) have been successfully fabricated for bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters. WL-CSP has been completed at the wafer level prior to dicing. Two silicon wafers are used as a die and a lid for chip size packaging. Both device and lid wafers have the same expansion coefficient and the package is strong enough to withstand the thermal stress. The package has a hermetic seal with copper-tin intermetallic bonding. The bonded wafers are then thinned by grinding. Via holes are formed by reactive ion etching (RIE) and filled by copper electroplating. The package has solder bumps on each terminal, ready for flip-chip assembly. We have succeeded to produce CSP-BAW filters with a hermetically sealed cavity, which is 840 micrometers squared and 280 micrometers in height including solder bumps.

Compressive properties at 573–773 K of porous aluminum produced by the spacer method were investigated and compared with those of bulk reference aluminum with the same chemical compositions. The stress exponent and activation energy for deformation at elevated temperatures in the porous aluminum were in agreement with those in the bulk reference aluminum. In addition, the plateau stress of the porous aluminum was comparable to the stress of the bulk reference aluminum upon compensation by the relative density. Therefore, it is conclusively demonstrated that the mechanism of deformation at elevated temperatures in the porous aluminum is the same as that in the bulk reference aluminum. This is likely due to the homogeneous microstructure in the porous aluminum produced by the spacer method.

Cellular solids were processed from machined scraps of a medium carbon steel by sintering. Mechanical properties of the cellular solids were investigated by compressive tests from the viewpoint of effects of high dislocation density in the machined scraps on the solid-state bonding. The flow stress in the plateau region for the cellular solid made of the as-machined scraps was higher than that of the one made of the annealed scraps. Clearly, the bonding strength between scraps was increased by the high dislocation density in the as-machined scraps.

Stress adjustment and improvement of electrical characteristics in film bulk acoustic wave resonator (BAW) have been successfully carried out in 1.8GHz range by using a multi-layer structure of ZnO / Al2O3 / SiO2. The BAW resonator, designed on secondary harmonics at about 1.8GHz, has Al / ZnO / Al / Al2O3 / SiO2 structure. ZnO and SiO2 thin films have a negative and a positive temperature coefficient of sound velocity, respectively. So temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) of the BAW resonator can be controlled by the thickness ratio of ZnO and SiO2 thin films. Since both ZnO and SiO2 have compressive stress, and Al2O3 has tensile one, the stress of the membrane is reduced by combining these thin films so that the membrane can avoid deformation. The BAW resonator, with thickness of ZnO / Al2O3 / SiO2=1.2 /0.45/1.25 microns, was designed by finite element method (FEM) simulation and fabricated. The value of quality factor (Q factor) and the TCF of the BAW resonator were realized over 1000 and −20 ppm/degree C, respectively. The Q of ZnO / Al2O3 / SiO2 structure was higher than that of ZnO / SiO2 one with keeping small TCF.

This paper mainly concerns a vibrotactile sensor capable of generating impulsive high-frequency signals for exclusively distinguishing a slip phase from various other contact phases. We describe the structure of the vibrotactile sensor with surface ridges and, after analyzing the slip signals, conclude that the output signal originates in the free vibration of the ridge. By using a two-fingered robot hand with the sensor attached to its compliant endtips, we verify that the vibrotactile sensor has a slip phase isolating function and demonstrate object regrip control in real time.

Electrorheological (ER) fluids are most broadly classified as either particle dispersion or homogeneous types. The history of their development has been one of a search for fluids of either type that exhibit a large ER effect—an increase in viscosity or shear stress upon exposure to an electric field—together with longterm stability under various temperatures and conditions of use.

The first particle dispersion ER fluids were invented by W.M. Winslow in the late 1940s. Many fluids of this type have been investigated since then, and a few have been developed and adopted for practical applications.

Homogeneous ER fluids have been investigated even longer. The earliest reported observations of the ER effect were for homogeneous fluids composed of glycerin and paraffin oil in the 1890s. In the 1930s, the ER effect was also observed in polar liquids such as nitrobenzene and anirin and in colloids of superfine metal powders. In all cases however the viscosity in the electric field was only two or three times the zero-field viscosity, which is too small for useful applications.

Since the advent of low-molecular-weight liquid-crystalline (LC) materials in the 1960s, investigations have been made on the viscosity changes accompanying their inherent tendency to align in an electric field, but their maximum viscosity generally is only a few times their zero-field viscosity, and their shear stress is in any case small.

Soluble conjugated polymers, poly (3-alkylthiophene)s were prepared by chemically oxidative polymerization. The polymers had no absorption at wavelengths longer than 600 nm, indicating that the polymers were suitable for waveguide structures. Dispersion of refractive index (real and imaginary parts) was calculated from the reflectance data using the Kramers-Kronig relation. The dispersion agreed with the result obtained by ellipsometry. Third order optical nonlinearity, χ(3)(−3ω; ω, ω, ω), of the polymers was determined by optical third harmonic generation (THG). Enhancement of the χ(3) by three photon absorption was observed when a beam of 1.54 μm was used as a fundamental. Also, light propagation properties were investigated by using slab waveguides of the polymers.